Dumping-hoppeb



A. P. LEE.

' DUMPING HOPPER APPLICATION FILED JAN-15,1917;

Patented Dec. 16,1919.

1' ALBERT P. LEE, OF CHICAGG, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO LEE LOADER & BODY C(L, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DUMPING-HOPPER.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, ALBERT P. Lee, a citizen of the United States, residing Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Dumping-Hoppers, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference be ng had to the accompanying drawings, forming a art of this specification.

fi ly invention relates to dumping hoppers and has for its object the provision of an improved form of construction for a rolling hopper of this type in which in the preferred form a runway for the hopper is used having such a configuration or design that the natural body form of the hopper need not be modified, the rail permitting the rolling of the hopper from a central charge carrying to a limiting discharge posltlon with an even movement. The runway which I prefer to use may be in the form of a rail and its active faceconsists of what I might call a broken back curve.

:In using the term broken back curve, I do not mean to limit myself to a rail having its operative face made up of various curves, as these segments or sections may be straight lines, but I am using the word curve in the sense that it is used in connection with platted diagrams using coordinates. In describing curves of that nature, these curves are frequently found to be straight lines, and it is in that sense that I use the term, as the essence of the invention is not dependent upon having the various rail sections of a curved outline, although in the preferred form certain parts of the rail seem to be better adapted to perform their functions if the outline is curved.

My invention further contemplates the use of universally mounted outrigger holding devices.

In the description herein and in the drawing I show a dumping hopper adapted to roll to both sides of a central charge carrying position, but it is of course apparent that the invention naturally contemplates a structure in which the hopper would roll only to one side of its central ing position.

I will describe this particular form which charge carrymy invention may take by referringto the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is an end view of a vehicle havthe form of ing my improved hopper mounted in position;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the hopper and rail; and

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the universal mounting of the outrigger structure.

The structure as illustrated constitutes a vehicle having the wheels 1, 1, surmounted by a framework 2, which framework carries a runway 3. This runway is of the broken back type, the reasons for which will presently appear. The runway here shown is in a rail. A dumping hopper 4 shown in its central position in Fig. l and 111 one of its limiting dumping positions in dotted lines in Fig. 1 is adapted to roll upon said runway to either side of its central position. When the hopper is in its central position, suitable supporting devices 5, 5, presently to be explained assist in re. taining the hopper in its central position. There is furthermore provided a bolt 6 carried by a framework 7 which enters a tecess 8 to assist in holding the hopper in its I central position. Suitable limit chains 9 prevent the hopper from leaving the rail when in its limiting positiorn I The framework 7 is carried by the framework 2. The holding devices 5 have an, arm 10 to which is pivotally mounted a second arm 11, which arm at its upper extremity has a cam surface engaging a corresponding surface and the sides of the hopper, thus to lock the hopper in its central position. The

arm 10 is pivotally mount d on a lu 12 by the bolt 13 and this 1nd- 12 is pivotally mounted upon the rail 3 by the bolt 14. A proyecting arm 15 at the lower extremity of the arm .10 prevents the arm 10 from moving inwardly too far. It will be seen by reason of this universal 10 that it'can be swung so that it hangs bemounting of the arm low the rail, thus to prevent obstructing the T hopper as it moves toward'itslimiting position and furthermore, that-this arm 10 may swing transversely ment of the lug 12,

of the swinging movethus to amply clear the wheels 1 when it is desired'to permit the dumping of the hopper.

The constructional features relating to the hopper and its runway are more clearly ap-' parent from Fig. 2. The hopper consists of the bottom portion 16, the inolined sides 17 1 7, and the mouth portion 18. The ortions 16 and 1? are preferably provided with lugs or rivets 19 which are adapted to enter holes 20 provided in the rail 3 so as to Fig. 1. The runway or rail ,3 has a central portion having the oppositely inclined sections 23, 23. These sections may continue their inclination so that they form an apex at the center, ormay have a slightly fiattened portion as indicated in the drawing. The flattened portion however should be small so that when the hopper is given a slight push it will promptly roll down either inclined portion 23. These inclined portions extend a certain distance conforming to the developed length of the bottom portion 16 of the hopper. The rail 3 then has curved. sections 24, 24 which cooperate with the inclined side sections l't' of the hopper.

The curved sections 24 may preferably have the same radius as the radius of the bottom portion 16, iii-which event the hopper continues its rolling' action the same, as though the rounded bottom portion 16 were extended right up to the pivotal point 21.

p A much greater simplicity of construction of the hopper is thus apparent in that the I natural outlineof the hopper is accommodated upon a rail in such manner that the 0 hopper has a smooth evenrolling motion from its central osition to its limiting positions. It must rther be pointed out that if the inclined portion 23 were. extended downwardly in place of the rounded. sections 24, under which conditions, of course,

the rounded bottom 16 of the hopper would have to be continued along to the pivotal point 2 1, that then these extensions of the sections 23 would as a general rule seriously" interfere with the posltion of the wheels 1.

distance over the wheels 1. This curving- According to my improvedconstructio'n the rails are thus curved to "carry them a safe action may be,carried out to any desired extent to avoid the said wheels or any other obstructing parts of the vehicle.

. It is of course readily apparent that the inclined sections 23 of the rail and the inclined sections 17 of the hopper need not necessarily be straight lines. Their outline,

however, must be such asto conform with the coiiperating outline of the rail. Similarly any otherportions may be given a curvature of different radius, or may conortions of straight lines. I The esi e a ture, is that the rail is of such a sist" of sential nature that it accommodates substantially what should be the natural outline of the hopper so far as this preferred embodiment is concerned.

When using the word apex in the claims, I-mean that word to be understood as the meeting point, for instance, between such portions as the portions -23 and 24, there being a change in direction of the rail at such a point. While the word apex might ordinarily be understood to be a point, yet it is readily apparent that the meeting point of the sections 23 and 24 may be slightly rounded as is customary in the manufacture of all devices. I mean the word apex in the claims broadly to of course include such rounding, if that is done.

From what has been described it is thought the nature of my invention will be.

readily clear to those skilled in the art. Having however thus described one form which my invention may take, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters .Patent is: i v

1. A device of the character described comprising a runway and a rolling hopper adapted to roll on said runway from a central charge carrying to a limiting dumping position, said runway having a shghtly flattened central portion and an active face.

forming a broken back curve the initial section whereof near the central portion having a straight line surface "with a'downward inclination toward its extremity, and succeeding curved sections thereof having a less inclination than said initial portion.

2. A device of the character described comprising a-runway and a rolling hopper adapted to 1:01 on said runway from a central chargecarry'ing to a limiting 'dumping position, said runway having a slightly fiattened 'CelltlaHfDrthn and an activb face forming a bro ing a straight linesulrface with a downward inclination toward its extremity, succeeding enback curve the initial sec-- tionwhereof'near. the central portion havsections thereoi having a less inclination than said initial section, and said hopper having a roundedbottom portion to 006perate with said initial section and an abruptly inclined sidewall to cotiperate with said succeeding sections.

3. A device of the character described comprising'a runway and a rollinghopper adapted to roll substantially automatically on said runway from a central charge carrying' o a limiting dumping position, said runway having an actlve face forming a broken .back curve one section whereof having a" substantially straight line surface with "a downward inclination toward its extremity, andsucceeding sections thereof having a less inclination than said one section in,

order to cle Qtr-the wheels of the vehicle on which the runway is mountedv 4. A device of the character described comprising a runway and a rolling hopper adapted to roll substantially automatically on said runway from a central charge carry ing to a limiting dumping position, said runway having an active face forming a broken back curve one section whereof having adownward inclination toward its eX- tremity, succeeding sections thereof being upwardly convexed and having a less inclination than said one section, in order to clear the wheels of the vehicle on which the runway anounted, and said hopper having a bottom portion to cooperate with said one. section and an abruptly inclined side wall to cooperate with said succeeding section.

A device of the character described comprising a runway and a rolling hopper adapted to roll substantially automatically on said runway from a central charge carrying to limiting dumping positions on either side of said central position, said runway having an active face forming a broken back curve, certain sections whereof being flat and having a downward inclination toward their corresponding extremities, and succeeding sections thereof being curved above the planes of the first sections inclination than said certain sections in order to clear the wheels of the vehicle on a which the. runway is mounted.

6. A device of the character described comprising a runway and a rolling hopper adapted to roll substantially automatically a central charge carrying to limiting dumping positions on either side of said central position, said runway having an active face forming a broken ba'clr curve, certain sections whereof at op osite sides of its central portion having a dbwnward inclination toward their corresponding extremities, and "succeeding sections thereof projecting above the planes of said first sections and having a less inclination than said certain sections and said hopper having a rounded bottom portion to cooperate with said certain sections, and abruptly inclined side walls to cooperate with said succeeding sections, there being an abrupt change in directio between the surfaces of said certain sectio s and said succeeding sections.

7 A. device of the character described comprising a runway and a rolling hopper adapted to roll substantially automatlcally on said runway from a central charge carrying to limiting dumping positions on either side of said central position, said runway and having a lesssectionaleaoh curved section and lower than said central portion, the distance from tip substantially said hopper.

8. In a device of the character described a rolling hopper having curved and straight portions, and a complementary runway having straight and curved sections which coto tip of said runway being equal to the greatest width of operate respectively. with thecurved and straight portions of the hopper to cause automatic and smooth rolling'of the hopper to its dumping-position, the curved section of the runway being upwardly convexed and extending above the plane of the straight section.

, 9. A runway for a flared rolling hopper comprising a central portion, downwardly inclined straight sections at opposite sides of. the central portion and -u wardly convexed sections at the ends of the straight forming an apex with the adjoining end of the respective straight sections.

' 10. In a device of the character described a rolling hopper having curved and straight portions, and a complementary runway having straight and curved sections which cooperate respectivel with the curved and straight portions 0 the hopper to cause automatic and-smooth rolling of the hopper to its dumping position, the curved sections of the runway being upwardly convexed and extending above the planes of the straight sections. V

11. A runway for a compleinentarily formed rolling hopper comprising a down= wardly inclined substantially straight section and an upwardly convexed curved section beyond said straight section, the curved section of the runway extending above the plane of the straight section.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my7name this 10th day of January, A. D. 191

ALBERT P. LEE. 

